This invention relates to a modified chess game in which the chess pieces can acquire for one or more subsequent moves, the moves of pieces they capture during the course of the game.
In traditional chess, each piece has pre-defined move options. Variations of the game are thus limited. Additionally, these pre-defined move options provide no flexibility for players of different capabilities to play a competitive game. There is also no flexibility in piece move options, which constrains the level of play achievable in a game. Accordingly, there is need for more variety in chess games, and to allow for players of different abilities to play together more competitively.
This invention features a method of playing a chess-like board game including traditional chess pieces comprising kings, queens, bishops, knights, rooks and pawns, in which pieces can capture one another as in traditional chess, and in which the traditional chess pieces are constrained in their base moves to move as in the traditional chess game. In the traditional chess game, the traditional chess pieces are constrained in what is termed herein their xe2x80x9cbasexe2x80x9d moves to move in a certain well known manner. In this embodiment, the method comprises: providing privilege-defining game pieces adapted to be coupled to and removed from one or more of the traditional chess pieces; upon capture of an opponent""s chess piece with the player""s capturing chess piece, allowing the capturing piece to assume, in addition to its existing moving capabilities, some, all or none of the moves of the captured piece, but for only one subsequent move of the capturing chess piece; indicating the assumed move capabilities by coupling a privilege defining game piece which identifies the assumed moving capabilities taken from the captured chess piece to the capturing chess piece; and after the capturing chess piece with the coupled privilege-defining game piece has made the assumed subsequent move, uncoupling the coupled privilege-defining game piece from the capturing piece and removing it from play, and by this action returning the capturing piece to its original capability of only its base move, unless the assumed subsequent move resulted in another capture, hence allowing the capturing piece to again assume some, all or none of the moving capabilities of the newly captured piece.
The traditional chess pieces may have a base portion and a more narrow upwardly-projecting portion, wherein the privilege-defining game pieces may fit over the upwardly-projecting portions and come to rest on the base portion of the chess piece. The privilege-defining game pieces are preferably annular. The privilege-defining game pieces may have indicated thereon the move that defines the privilege granted by the piece.
Another means of indicating the assumed moving capabilities would be to provide a separate single game piece which in some manner identifies a dual-move capability. This piece would substituted for the original chess piece for the appropriate amount of time, and would not require the coupling and uncoupling of additional game pieces as discussed above.
The pawn chess piece can preferably accept privilege-defining pieces that define the base moves of at least the following: rook, knight, bishop, and queen. The rook chess pieces can preferably accept privilege-defining pieces that define the base moves of at least the following: pawn, knight, bishop, and queen. The knight chess piece can preferably accept privilege-defining pieces that define the base moves of at last the following: pawn, rook, bishop, and queen. The bishop chess piece can preferably accept privilege-defining pieces that define the base moves of at least the following: pawn, rook, knight, and queen. The queen chess piece can preferably accept privilege-defining pieces that define the base moves of at least the following: knight. The king chess piece can preferably accept privilege-defining pieces that define the base moves of at least the following: rook, knight, bishop, and queen.
Preferably, the capturing chess piece may have coupled to it at any time no more than one privilege-defining game piece, although in variations of the game, more than one can be allowed.
Upon capture of an opponent""s chess piece, if both the capturing piece and captured piece are without a coupled privilege-defining game piece, then the capturing chess piece may assume all of the captured piece""s moving capabilities (preferably by acquiring and coupling to it a privilege-defining game piece that directly corresponds to the moving capabilities of the base portion of the captured piece), but only if the assumed moving capabilities will expand the moving capabilities of the base portion of the capturing chess piece.
Upon capture of an opponent""s chess piece, if the capturing chess piece does not have coupled to it a privilege-defining game piece, and if the captured chess piece has coupled to it a privilege-defining game piece, the capturing chess piece may preferably be allowed to assume the moving capabilities of the base portion of the captured piece (preferably by acquiring and coupling to it a privilege-defining game piece that directly corresponds to the moving capabilities of the base portion of the captured piece), or to take from the captured chess piece its privilege-defining game piece and couple it to the capturing chess piece and thereby assume the moving capabilities as defined by the privilege-defining game piece of the captured chess piece, but only if either of the assumed moves will expand the moving capabilities of the base portion of the capturing chess piece.
Preferably, if a capturing chess piece with a coupled privilege-defining game piece moves and captures an opposing chess piece based upon the authority given it from its base, the capturing piece may not assume any moving capabilities from the captured piece.
If a capturing chess piece with a coupled privilege-defining game piece moves and captures an opposing chess piece based upon the authority given it from its acquired privilege-defining game piece, it must first immediately uncouple and remove from play its just used privilege-defining game piece and then it may preferably be allowed to assume the moving capabilities of the base portion of the captured piece(preferably by acquiring and coupling to it a new privilege-defining game piece that directly corresponds to the moving capabilities of the base portion of the captured piece), or, if applicable, may immediately acquire and couple to it the captured piece""s privilege-defining game piece, and hence assume the moving capabilities as defined by the privilege-defining game piece of the captured chess piece, but only if either of the assumed moves will expand the moving capabilities of the base portion of the capturing chess piece.
In another embodiment, this invention features a method of playing a chess-like board game including traditional chess pieces comprising kings, queens, bishops, knights, rooks and pawns, in which pieces can capture one another as in traditional chess, and in which the traditional chess pieces are constrained in their base moves to move as in the traditional chess game, the method comprising: upon capture of an opponent""s chess piece with the player""s capturing chess piece, allowing the capturing chess piece to assume, in addition to its existing moving capabilities, some, all or none of the moving capabilities of the captured piece, but for only one subsequent move of the capturing chess piece; and after the capturing chess piece has made the assumed subsequent move, withdrawing the assumed moving capabilities, unless the assumed subsequent move resulted in another capture, hence allowing the capturing piece to again assume some, all or none of the moving capabilities of the newly captured piece.
In this embodiment, the pawn chess piece can preferably assume the base moves of at least the following: rook, knight, bishop, and queen, the rook chess pieces can preferably assume the base moves of at least the following: pawn, knight, bishop, and queen, the knight chess piece can preferably assume the base moves of at last the following: pawn, rook, bishop, and queen, the bishop chess piece can preferably assume the base moves of at least the following: pawn, rook, knight, and queen, the queen chess piece can preferably assume the base move of at least the following: knight, and the king chess piece can preferably assume the base moves of at least the following: rook, knight, bishop, and queen.
Upon capture of an opponent""s chess piece, if both the capturing piece and captured piece are without any assumed move capabilities, then the capturing chess piece may assume all of the captured piece""s moving capabilities (preferably by acquiring a privilege-defining game piece that directly corresponds to the moving capabilities of the base portion of the captured piece), but only if the assumed moving capabilities will expand the moving capabilities of the base portion of the capturing chess piece.
Upon capture of an opponent""s chess piece, if the capturing chess piece does not have any assumed moving capabilities, and if the captured chess piece does have assumed moving capabilities, the capturing chess piece may preferably be allowed to assume the moving capabilities of the base portion of the captured piece (preferably by acquiring a privilege-defining game piece that directly corresponds to the moving capabilities of the base portion of the captured piece), or to take from the captured chess piece its assumed moving capabilities (preferably by acquiring from the captured chess piece its privilege-defining game piece and thereby assume the moving capabilities as defined by the privilege-defining game piece of the captured chess piece), but only if either of the assumed moves will expand the moving capabilities of the base portion of the capturing chess piece.
Preferably, if a capturing chess piece with assumed moving capabilities moves and captures an opposing chess piece based upon the authority given it from its base, the capturing piece may not assume any moving capabilities from the captured piece.
If a capturing chess piece with assumed moving capabilities moves and captures an opposing chess piece based upon the authority given it from its assumed moving capabilities, it may preferably be allowed to assume the moving capabilities of the base portion of the captured piece (preferably by acquiring a privilege-defining game piece that directly corresponds to the moving capabilities of the base portion of the captured piece), or, if applicable, may acquire the captured piece""s assumed moving capabilities (preferably by acquiring from the captured chess piece its privilege-defining game piece, and hence assume the moving capabilities as defined by the privilege-defining game piece of the captured chess piece), but only if either of the assumed moves will expand the moving capabilities of the base portion of the capturing chess piece.
In another embodiment, this invention features a set of playing pieces for a chess-like board game, comprising: traditional chess pieces comprising kings, queens, bishops, knights, rooks and pawns; and privilege-defining game pieces adapted to be coupled to and removed from one or more of the traditional chess pieces, each said privilege defining game piece defining on its face the base move of a traditional chess piece, including the base moves of a pawn, rook, knight, bishop, and queen. The set of playing pieces may further include a privilege-defining game piece that defines the base moves of a traditional king.